From the Arcadia Blog

I woke up this morning to the sweet sound of rain falling outside. Hmmm, I thought, the perfect day for making soup! Butternut, my favorite squash, is plentiful, sweet, and easy to cook. Here's a lovely, filling soup, delicious with a grilled cheese sandwich and a green salad. Pureeing the soup means you don't have to be fussy with dicing the vegetables. Just get them roughly the same size.

In a medium pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook until translucent, 6 minutes. Add squash, diced pear, halved pear, and 4 cups water; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until squash is soft, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the whole pear from the pot and dice it.In batches, fill a blender halfway with soup and yogurt. Puree in batches. Caution: don’t use the blender top while pureeing hot liquids. Instead, drape a clean cloth over the top while pureeing the vegetables with the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper, cayenne and cumin. Serve topped with the reserved diced pear.

*If you have a microwave, use it to make peeling the butternut squash easier. Microwave the whole squash for one minute at a time. Between 1 and 3 minutes, you'll find the peel beginning to cook and much easier to separate from the flesh. Be careful -- it will be hot. Let it cool a little first. -- JuJu Harris

I got up this morning, knowing that it was gonna be another humid scorcher. I gave myself thumbs up to making an easy dinner so I'd be out of the kitchen and free to goof off around the house as much as possible. Out came the can opener, knife, cutting board and a few ingredients, and in 10 minutes I was checking my Facebook while eating a bowl of granola, yogurt and peaches. Dinner was in the fridge, ready for the hungry hoard to descend upon it later, and I was ready for a day of puttering. This recipe is a great picnic or potluck dish, and gets even better as it sits. Be sure to use fresh basil. Serve with mozarella cheese slices and ciabatta. -- JuJu Harris

One of the best things about Arcadia Farm is that there is always something to do. Tomatoes need to be tied up and things need to be planted, picked or pruned. There is always weeding. At Arcadia there is only one part-time farmer to tackle all these tasks.

Enter the Farm Team, at 22 members and counting! BEFORE

This group of dedicated volunteers has elected to spend (most of) their Sunday evenings doing farm tasks*. I joined a little over a month ago. We meet for about three hours and then gather for an impromptu potluck of garden snacks. We receive instruction from Arcadia's farmer, Peggy, but there isn't professional farmer in the team. There is, however, a fair amount gardening knowledge to be shared. This last week included a mechanic, a restaurant manager, a nurse, a climate policy worker, an emergency preparedness worker, and a former tutor to the children of the Jordanian royal family. While it's not the typical DC style networking, the conversation sure is good. (Truth be told, at least 2 new jobs have been procured by Farm Team members directly from their networking at the farm… in less than a month!) * Farm Team members also volunteer Mondays and Wednesdays in the morning and work alongside farmer Peggy -- great if you are interested in learning more about growing food, as you've got the source at your finger tips -- and some drop in when they can on their own to weed, water, or do whatever needs doing. *

AFTER! Most of our farm team volunteers started out at a Saturday volunteer day and then expressed interest in doing something more. That's how I started. While I am not quite ambitious enough to want to have a farm that MAKES money for me, one day I would love to have a larger piece of land that I can coax a years worth of food out of for a small family. My time at Arcadia allows me to learn farming skills and tricks that come from real honest to goodness farmers. The Sunday night farm team is always looking for a few more hands. Contact FarmTeam@arcadiafood.org if you want to join the fun.

Trellising tomatoes, potluck snacks… and hanging out in the gazebo till night falls on the farm.

We’d like to you meet the amazing counselors who are making Arcadia’s 2014 Farm Camp possible. They’re quite a talented and enthusiastic group!For the past two weeks, Brittany, Jeyna, Liz and Rosario have spent 9-10 hours a day preparing and creating a positive and interactive food camp experience for Arcadia’s campers. We're so grateful for all of their hard work!Read on to virtually meet each of them!

Brittany Owen What experiences have prepared you for this position?I have worked with children from a variety of backgrounds and developmental needs as an attendant, tutor, volunteer, and sister. My family also has quite the suburban farming project, with chickens, goats, rabbits, and garden crops. As a child, my favorite things were animals, being outside, and learning – and they still are! I’m excited to share that enthusiasm with young learners. What are you hoping to learn as a Farm Education Intern at Arcadia?I want to explore first-hand the different kind of learning styles among children, especially in a space that allows them to engage with the environment on their own level. I am interested in how a successful nonprofit works on the ground level. I also wouldn’t mind picking up a few tricks about sustainability to bring back to my family’s plot! If you were a vegetable, what would you be?Mustard – it has a surprising amount of zing to it!

Jeyna Diallo What experiences have prepared you for this position?I was a counselor at Woodlawn Stables Summer Camp for a season, which prepared me for educating kids in an outdoor camp setting. Also, I'm an Environmental Studies major so I've learned a lot about sustainable agriculture practices and how important they are for both humans and the planet. Growing vegetables in my own garden and working to get my brother and sister excited about healthy eating has also prepared me for this job.What are you hoping to learn as a Farm Camp Counselor at Arcadia?Throughout the four weeks of camp, I'm hoping to learn more about putting sustainable agriculture methods into practice and the best strategies to get kids excited about sustainable farming, cooking, and eating.If you were a vegetable, what would you be?I would be a cucumber because then I could wrap my tendrils around a trellis and climb super high! Liz FabisWhat experiences have prepared you for this position?I first became interested in sustainable farming while earning my bachelor's degree in environmental studies. Visiting idyllic farmsteads during field trips spurred me to take a summer job at an organic farm in Ohio, where I quickly learned the dirty, grueling reality of working the land. More recently, I've been volunteering as an field trip facilitator at Common Good City Farm, a Washington, DC-based farm with a very similar mission to Arcadia. What are you hoping to learn as a Farm Education Intern at Arcadia?I'm excited to share my passion for gardening, farming, and healthy foods with children. In return, observing how children interact and learn from nature is fascinating to me as an educator. I am currently pursuing a Master's in Landscape Design from George Washington University, so I'm hoping that this position will yield insights into how to create landscapes that not only beautiful and functional, but also serve as learning tools to foster environmental knowledge and appreciation. If you were a vegetable, what would you be?I'd have to say a tomato. Like tomatoes, I absolutely can't tolerate the cold, and as with many recipes involving tomatoes, I am often quite cheesy.

Rosario DeFloresWhat experiences have prepared me for this position? Some of the experiences I would like to share are that, I have been working in Early Childhood for more than 16 years. And believe that, children should have different opportunities to explore nature in a safe, nurturing environment. Also, doing activities with hands on experiences not only help them to develop their fine motor skills but also their cognitive skills. By allowing children explore, asking them open ended questions it gives them opportunities to learn new information. Also, being a mother is another real nurturing experience to add.

What I am hoping to learn as a Farm Education Intern at Arcadia?I am hoping to learn the different opportunities Arcadia has to offer for families with children who are eager to learn. And also the new varieties of activities that are planned for the children during this camp experience. I am looking forward to follow the lead of my Camp Director with the support of other educators as well as Camp Counselors and to learn from their experiences.

If I was a vegetable, I would be …!!Lettuce!! Because there are different kinds of lettuce, some are colorful, soft to eat and it is added in the majority of main meals. Lettuce is also easy to grow and does not require at lot of space to produce.

We met Shanelle through the DC Summer Youth Employment Program and were immediately impressed. This fashion design student has it all: business savvy, customer service, a big heart and yeah… she's read "The Omnivore's Dilemma," too! What are you most excited about for DC Summer Youth Employment Program placement at Arcadia?I am most excited to be working with Arcadia this summer for the hands on experience of working in marketing and retail. I want to start my own clothing company, and I feel that all forms of retail will be a great learning opportunity. Also I am looking forward to working with the public, networking, and meeting new people.

What experiences have prepared you for this position?I have volunteered with my church and Widow’s Pantry to help feed the homeless at Franklin Square downtown. I also volunteer with my neighborhood Community Garden and I helped to plant trees with Casey Trees. These experiences have all given me a chance to work with the public and help others.

If you were a vegetable, what would you be? If I were a vegetable, I would be corn. Corn is one of our oldest vegetables and it has so many uses. As said in The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, “corn is in everything”. Also corn is bright and not boring. It can change into many forms, and it can be where you least expect it.

Which season has the best produce, and why?Summer has the best produce because there are so many delicious fruits that appear during this season. I feel that in the summer fruits are at their peak of perfection with taste, color and texture. Also as an added bonus my birthday is in the summer.

We're excited to welcome back Jeremy, who was an Arcadia Farm intern last season. Starting in July, he'll be behind the wheel of our second Mobile Market vehicle.

What are you most excited about for this position (and returning to Arcadia)?

I'm looking forward to closing the loop on the farm-to-table process; I spent much of last summer interning for Arcadia Farm at Woodlawn, but didn't really get to see where the food went. I'm excited to finally see the connection between the hard work of growing food and how the Mobile Market works to increase food security in low income neighborhoods. I'm also excited about all of the learning opportunities that meeting and working with such a diverse group of customers and staff with afford.

What experiences have prepared you for this position?

After spending a few seasons working on small farms in Virginia and North Carolina, I started interning with Stephen at Arcadia Farm and learning about sustainable farming practices. More recently, I have been working for a DC-based online grocery store that works in a similar way to Arcadia, by way of connecting local farmers and consumers through alternate forms of food distribution.

If you were a vegetable, what would you be?

Asparagus; it takes several seasons to mature, but only last a few weeks each season. When I think of a food best enjoyed seasonally and locally, I think of asparagus.

Which season has the best produce, and why?

Summer, but more specifically, stone fruit season. There is nothing better than sweet peach juice running down your chin.

We are pleased to be hosting our fifth fellow from Tufts University this summer. Anna will be joining the team for the next ten weeks, helping to operate our soon-to-be 18 weekly Mobile Market stops and conducting program evaluation.

What are you most excited about for this Fellowship?

I am most excited about sharing my passion for healthy food with the communities the Mobile Market serves. I can’t wait to learn more about the neighborhoods, and to see how the Mobile Market can most effectively serve them.

What experiences have prepared you for this position?

I grew up in town in Maine densely populated with farms and agriculture. Farming is in my blood! As a community health major at Tufts University, I feel I have a solid academic understanding of disparities in health outcomes due to unequal access to food. I am excited to put my classroom-based knowledge into action! Additionally, I work to alleviate some of the barriers to food access in Boston’s neighborhoods, including helping to improve transportation, and increasing knowledge about healthy cooking. I hope to bring these experiences with me to Arcadia.

If you were a vegetable, what would you be?

I would be rainbow chard, because I’m resilient, hearty, and colorful!

Which season has the best produce, and why?

Spring! Fiddleheads and snap peas and rhubarb! All fleeting, so you have to act fast.

Say howdy to Lauren Young, Arcadia's new farm manager! While Farm Director Stephen Corrigan works on Arcadia's second production farm (more on that in a future post) Lauren has tackled our headquarters farm at Woodlawn. She comes to Arcadia from the USDA's organic research program and will be doing some cool stuff in our fields. An animal lover (see above), we anticipate her reign to usher in a new era of peace and cooperation with our resident groundhogs and squirrels.What most excites you about joining Arcadia?

Several things excite me about joining Arcadia, but I will limit it to three. First, I am very excited to be working with and learning from (in no particular order): Stephen, Morgan, Ben, Pam, Matt, JuJu, Janet, and all of the very enthusiastic and hard-working volunteers.

Second, I am excited about drawing on my past experiences to help further Arcadia's mission.

Third, I think Arcadia's commitment and approach to food and cooking education is very exciting and unique. Not only does Arcadia grow, source, and transport food to people that need it, they are also committed to ensuring that the food will be enjoyed through cooking education for adults and farm camp for children. What have you done in the past that's prepared you for this work?I have been involved with sustainable agriculture research in one way or another for about ten years. I have degrees in Environmental Science and Ecology.My high school had an Agriculture and Horticulture program and we even had a "Bring Your Tractor to School Day." Understanding where food comes from and the hard work that goes into it was very intuitive for my community and me. It was not until college, when I took classes in Environmental Science and Biology, that I realized how disconnected people can be from their food system. I found it amazing that folks could be concerned about their environment and what lives there yet know so little about the land use that comprises about half of the land area of the US, agriculture.If you were a vegetable, what would you be? Coffee is actually a fruit, but I think I would be coffee because I am usually well caffeinated. Which season has the best produce, and why?I like all of the seasons. I cannot pick one. I love spring asparagus; tomatoes and cantaloupe in the summer; apples and squash in the fall; and red cabbage and citrus in the winter. I like the challenge of having a lot of something around and then figuring out the ways I am going to use it. By the time I have had enough of it, something else has come along.

We're excited to be expanding our Mobile Market team this year to include Janet Hofman. She'll be helping to increase our capacity to ten weekly market stops per week.She's a great addition to the team, with a wide range of experiences. What most excites you about joining Arcadia?I am most excited about meeting new people and teaching them about the variety of food that is grown locally, right in our own region.

What have you done in the past that's prepared you for this work?When I was a Park Ranger, my main job was to develop and present a variety of programs to our visitors, educating them about our resources and, more importantly, hoping to inspire them to appreciate and care for our environment.I think my passion for food and the farm-to-table process began when I became a vegetarian and, for the first time, was really aware of what my food was and where it came from. That passion has grown over the years while working in various restaurants, a retail food market, taking culinary classes, and traveling. I'm pretty sure my cooking has improved during these journeys as well!If you were a vegetable, what would you be? I would like to be a watermelon radish because it is vibrant and spicy.Which season has the best produce, and why?Although I enjoy being creative with root veggies in the winter, I am always longing for more fruit and delicious tomatoes! So, I'll have to say summer. As a kid, I always looked forward to going up north in Michigan to pick wild blueberries.

Facebook ContestPrize: Two tickets to Arcadia's Spring Farm Dinner on June 8th, 2014 at Woodlawn Estate in Alexandria, VA. If you are unable to attend the Spring farm Dinner, you may transfer your tickets, or exchange them for 2 tickets to an available Arcadia Master Course.

How to Enter: Enter at Arcadia's Facebook Page by posting a comment to the original contest post. We appreciate, but do not require shares of the original post.

Rules:- One entry per person- You must be over 18 to enter the contest- Comments must be made before 11:59 PM on 4/9/2014- You may enter both the Facebook and the Twitter contestsLegal Stuff:- You do not need to donate to the campaign to enter the drawing, but we'd like it if you did. - This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, facebook.- By entering, you release Facebook of all liability for this contest.Winner Announcement: Winners will be selected by random drawing and announced on Facebook by 5 PM on April 10, 2014.Twitter ContestPrize: Two tickets to Arcadia's Spring Farm Dinner on June 8th, 2014 at Woodlawn Estate in Alexandria, VA. If you are unable to attend the Spring farm Dinner, you may transfer your tickets, or exchange them for 2 tickets to an available Arcadia Master Course.

How to Enter: Enter by retweeting the original contest tweet from @ArcadiaFood. Only retweets of Arcadia's original contest tweet will count toward entry. Include @ArcadiaFood in your retweet so we can track your entry.

Rules:- One entry per person- You must be over 18 to enter the contest- Retweet must occur before 11:59 PM on 4/9/2014- You may enter both the Facebook and the Twitter contestsLegal Stuff:- You do not need to donate to the campaign to enter the drawing, but we'd like it if you did. - This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Twitter.- By entering, you release Twitter of all liability for this contest.Winner Announcement: Winners will be selected by random drawing and announced on Twitter by 5 PM on April 10, 2014.Please contact Info@ArcadiaFood.org with any questions.

Arcadia is participating in Spring2Action's Day of Giving on April 9, 2014, and we're trying to raise $30,000 to grow our Mobile Market program, and purchase, and outfit, a second Mobile Market vehicle. The new vehicle will support ongoing Market activities through transportation and distribution, and will help us to increase our number of Market stops. You can schedule your donation to support out campaign today HERE.

Over the past two season's, Arcadia's Mobile Market has increased access to fresh, sustainable, healthy, local foods in the DC area's underserved neighborhoods. We've sold over $110,000 of food in those communities, with over $40,000 in sales to households receiving SNAP, WIC, Seniors FMNP, and other nutrition benefits. We are able to keep our food affordable by working directly with farmers and producers, and by accepting, and doubling nutrition benefits through our Bonus Bucks program. In 2014, we're expanding our number of weekly Market stops to 10. We would love to continue to grow this program to meet the need and demand, but we need a second vehicle, and we need your help to make that happen. All contributions made to our Spring2Action campaign are tax deductible, and will support the Mobile Market program. Schedule your donation today, or make sure to give on April 9th. And don't forget to ask your friends to do the same.

Looking for another way to support the Mobile Market? Order a copy of the Arcadia Mobile Market Seasonal Cookbook, and receive an incredible cookbook with delicious seasonal recipes, while supporting the Mobile Market program and helping us provide free cookbooks to our low-income customers.We'd like to thank Bon Appetit Management Company for their support of the Mobile Market Seasonal Cookbook, and Inova and Wholesome Wave for their ongoing support of the Bonus Bucks program.

Arcadia is honored to be associated for the fourth year with Outstanding in the Field's nationwide tour in September. Chef Kyle Bailey and Chef Tiffany MacIsaac -- the talented and award-winning chefs behind Birch & Barley, Bluejacket, GBD, and Buzz -- will once again be cooking in the field.

But there's a change of meadows: After three gorgeous years at our home base at Woodlawn Mansion in Alexandria, Outstanding in the Field wanted to showcase another great farm. So our dinner this year will be held in Middleburg at Hunger Run farm.Our farm director Stephen Corrigan recently moved to Hunger Run where we have started a larger and more intensive vegetable production program to meet the rapidly growing appetite of our Mobile Market customers for local, sustainably grown fresh fruits and vegetables. It's an exciting project, as Arcadia is putting another old farm back into production.

Never fear: We continue to farm, host dinners, and hold field trips and events at Arcadia at Woodlawn! It's our home base, and we are deeply connected to the progressive agricultural and social history there -- a history we are proud to be adding to as a mission-oriented non-profit organization.

Keep an eye out for our soon-to-be-announced Annual Spring Farm Dinner at Arcadia at Woodlawn! As always, Arcadia Members get first crack at the tickets. It sells out quickly, so don't hesitate when we make those tickets live!

We’re thrilled to share the details for this summer Arcadia Farm Camp! For dates, camp themes, and registration info, view here. Registration opens January 31st. Farm Camp 2013 was incredible. We went from 2 weeks with 48 campers in 2012, to 4 themed weeks with 114 campers in 2013! It was quite an expansion, but one that opened up farm learning experiences to so many more children. We also increased the number of scholarships we were able to offer. A total of 23 campers from low-income families received full scholarships funded by donations from Arcadia supporters. Hear the camp families stories in this video and learn how to give to our Farm Camp Scholarship Fund. We aim for 30 full scholarships this year -- a quarter of our campers. We're making a few changes this year to make camp even more fun-filled and accessible. We are again offering round-trip transportation from Old Town Alexandria to Arcadia Farm, and we’re extending the hours for this service. To better accommodate busy parents, drop off will be at 8:00 am and pick up at 4:30 pm. See full details on the website. Early Bird Registration is discounted for those who sign up before March 1, 2014, and we also offer sibling and multi-week discounts. See our Fees and Discounts page for more details. Farm Camp is open to children from ages 6-11 years old. Every week of camp includes Farming, Food, and Fun, but each week also has a special theme with additional enrichment activities. This year we’ve added a week focused on all of the bugs and animals on the farm: Farm Creatures week! Farm Camp 2014 weekly themes are:

July 7-11: Young Farmers

July 14-18: Seasonal Eaters

July 21-25: Farm Creatures

July 28-Aug 1: Small Chefs

All the features of Farm Camp everyone loves will remain the same... because why mess with a good -- and delicious -- thing? Campers will do morning chores (like weeding, watering, collecting fresh eggs, and bug squish’n), participate in chef demonstrations, learn with Educators & Farmers, play water games on hot days, and harvest veggies for the snacks we’ll make together during the day. Come out and see us! Attend our free Farm Camp Open House on Saturday, April 26th from 1-3pm. Your budding farmers will get to explore Arcadia Farm and all the learning spaces we use during Camp. They’ll also get a sneak peak at a few of our hands-on activities. Register here to let us know you're coming. In the meantime, before registration opens on January 31st, head over to our Farm Camp page and our FAQ page to learn more!

Soup. I am all about soup these days. It's easy to make and it fills the house with delicious smells. Making soup is a good way to use up slightly wilted vegetables and leftover grains or noodles. You can throw everything together into a big pot, and leave it to simmer for hours while you make a loaf of bread. What's better than a bowl of hot soup on a cold day? I can't think of anything better.

1-2 cups water or vegetable broth1 handful of frozen peas1 cup precooked rice, barley or noodles, that have been drained and rinsed

Optional: 1 TBSP miso paste

Directions:

Plop the turkey legs into a roasting pan, and spread the veggies and apple slices around them. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and herbs. Pour the water or apple juice into the pan, and bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Remove the veggies and apples from the pan with a slotted spoon, and put them in a soup pot. Dispose of any juices that have accumulated in the pan.

Pour enough water or vegetable broth over the veggies to cover them, and put the pot on simmer.

Return the turkey legs to the oven, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Remove the legs from the oven, cut the meat off them and add them to the soup pot with the rice, barley or noodles, and the peas and miso paste, if using. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Another way: My friend taught me this, and it is divine. Perfect to make on a long, chilly day when all ya wanna do is putter around the kitchen.

Simmer a turkey carcass (leftover from a holiday dinner) in 3 bottles of beer (cheap is fine) and a cup of water, with 2 stalks of mashed, fresh lemongrass stalks, some oregano and parsley, and salt and pepper for 4 hours. Stir every now and then. Add a bag of frozen mixed vegetables and cook for another 15 minutes. Oh, it's SO good!

I was a big fan of the Little House on the Prairie series when I was little, and I used to pretend that I was in my log cabin during a blizzard. The other night it was 4 degrees. Four degrees! Not a blizzard, but still freezing cold! I wanted to cook something quickly so that I could spend as much time by the fireplace as possible. So I put on my "homesteader woman" thinking cap, looked in my larder, and pulled out the ingredients for dinner. The vegetables roast up sweet, the bacon adds a smoky flavor. Our family camped out in the living room by the fireplace and shared this meal together. The wind was howling outside, but we didn't care. We were together and warm, inside and out.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place sweet potatoes, red onion, garlic, cauliflower, and water in an oven-proof skillet or roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir to coat. Cover and roast until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the lid, add the raisins and almonds and let cook another 10 minutes until the vegetables are slightly browned. Fry the bacon until crispy, then drain and crumble. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain the gnocchi and mix with the vegetables and bacon.

JuJu and Morgan Maloney serve up some greensThis past Saturday, I made what's become my signature dish, Kale Salad with Garlicky Dressing. To promote the produce that was available at the Columbia Heights Farmers' Market, I did a cooking demo and I added roasted butternut squash for a sweet twist. This is wonderful, quick to make salad, that can be served as a side dish, or as the main course with the addition of beans, cheese and toasted nuts. Everyone who has tried it, loves it. It was freezing cold, but the smiles of the markets' customers warmed me up. Now, if only I had a dollar for every time someone said, "Oh, this tastes so good"....